Apparatus for making soap



July 23, 1957 w. L. MORRISON APPARATUS FOR MAKING SOAP Filed April 17. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 23, 1957 w. L. MORRISON APPARATUS FOR MAKING SOAP Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 17. 195s Jnbenaor Jttarneys United States Patent APPARATUS FOR MAKING SOAP Willard L. Morrison,- Lake Forest, 111., assignor to The Union: Stock Yard and Transit. Company of Chicago, Chicago, ,Ill;, a corporation of Illinois Application April 17, 1953, Serial No. 349,4(92 7 Claims; or. 2-3 -2905 When the housewife wishes to Wash clothes or dishes or to use soap for bathing, the soap, cake, powder or flake as the case may he, must first have water added to it before any cleansing effect may be obtained.

Therefore I proposeto supply to the housewife measured quantities of tallow or fat, measured quantities of alkali and any other elements needed in the soap and to provide her with an apparatus which can receive the solids andthe proper amount of water, will automatically heat the fats and the water, will. thereafter mix the fats, the alkali, the water and any. desired additions under proper conditions of temperature for the necessary length of time and will automatically discharge the resultant soft soap into a removable container so thatthe housewife will have available when she needs it fresh liquid" soap in condition for immediate use for all purposes which soap or detergent are appropriate.

My invention isillustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic vertical section through an apparatus whichcanbe used to carry out my process.

Figure 2 is a plan view in part section of the device shownin Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side elevation on areduced scale of the apparatusshown in Figure 1.

Figure 4isa wiring diagram.

1; is a receptacle. or soap boiler open at the top, adapted to'be closedby the hinged lid 2. The bottom floor 3 is apertured or vented for discharge and a'solenoid actuated valve 3 may close the aperture. The mixing paddle 5 on shaft 6 supported in the bearing 7 is located at one side of the boiler so that solid materials may be placed in the boiler at one side of the piddle and that operation of of the paddle will result in circulation of and mixing of liquids in the receptacle. The shaft 6 terminates in a squared end 8 above the bearing 7. Cover 2 hinged at 9 carries the electric motor 10 which by means of a gear reduction 10a may rotate the socket 11. When the cover is closed the squared shaft end 8 penetrates and interlocks with the coket 11 so that the motor may drive the mixing paddle.

The latch 12 locks the cover or lid 2 in closed position and carries the pin 12a to close the switch 1212 when the cover is locked. When switch 121) is closed electric heating current is supplied to the coils 13 associated with the boiler so that the contents thereof may be heated.

14 is a thermostat switch, which normally open, is automatically closed when the temperature of the contents of the boiler has reached a predetermined point to close a circuit through the motor to cause it to operate the mixing paddle 5.

When thermostat switch 14 closes it starts the electric timer 15, which after a predetermined time breaks the main electric supply circuit. When this happens the motor stops, the heating coils are no longer supplied with current and the solenoid 16 releases the valve 4. The valve opens and the contents of the boiler 1 are discharged by gravity into the removable bottle 17.

The inner wall'of the boiler is flanged at 18 to clearly indicate the current water level in the receptacle after the insertion of whatever fats, alkali and additives are required. 19 is a flexible vent pipe in the cover. The pipe extends to the house ventilating pipe 20 and may be permanently attached or as indicated provided with a plug 21 which may enter a hole in pipe 20, which hole may be closed by stopper'22 when desired.

Tubing 23 covers the wires communicating with the coil 16 to prevent any contact between them and the soft soap as it is discharged through the valve 4.

24 is a turn button carried by the timer 15. It actuates when turned, a master switch 25 to start the cycle of operation. When switch 25 is rotated to the dotted line position (Figure 4) a circuit is closed with the house electric supply, supplying current through a conductor 26 to terminal 27, switch 25 to terminal 28, conductor 29, timer switch blade 30, quadrant 31, conductor 32, conductor 33 to solenoid'coil 16, conductor 34, conductor 35, conductor 36, to house circuit. This master circuit supplies current to the system and causes the solenoid 16 to close thevalve' 4.

Pre-determined quantities. of tallow or grease, alkali and other additives are then placed in the boiler and it will be filled. with water to the level of the indicating ring. There is space in the boiler atone side of the paddle for these solids at room temperature to be inserted.

The operator then closes the lid. This closes theswitch 12b and current flows from master circuit conductor 33 through conductor 37, heating coil 13, conductor 38, switch 12b 'to master circuit conductor 35. This energizes heating coil 13.

Until the temperature of the contents of the boiler has reached a predetermined level the mixing paddle is'not operated When the temperature of the contents of the boiler has reached the desired point, thermostat switch 14 closes a circuit eon'ductor'33 through motor 10 conductor 39 thermostat switch 14, conductor 40 to conductor 35 and the motor then operates the paddle for mixing.

When the. thermostat switch 14 is closed the electric timer,. which is illustrated only diagrammatically at 15 because the details of the timer term no part of the present invention, commences to rotate the cam 41 in a counter-clockwise direction. This raises the lever 42, causes the dog 43 to engage the next notch in the ratchet wheel 44, when the lever 42 slips off the high end of the cam spring 45 rotates the ratchet wheel 45 carrying with it the switch member 36?. This breaks the master circuit at 29. The switch member 25 if rotated, will again close the master circuit but this time the circuit would be from 31 through 30 to conductor 46 through switch member 25 in its full line position.

The result of this arrangement is that each time the timer completes its cycle the master circuit is broken but further rotation of the master switch 25 will again close the master circuit.

The importance of this is that the boiler is always empty when not in use. Until the operator turns the starting switch button the solenoid valve is open and the boiler may drain any residual contents so that there is a minimum likelihood of material remaining in the boiler to cause unpleasant odors or unsanitary conditions.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

The housewife will put in the. receptacle the pre measured quantity of tallow. She will also put into the receptacle other solids or chemicals including the necessary alkali to make the soap. She will then add water until the proper level is reached, then she closes the door or lid and that heats the receptacle and its contents. As soon as the temperature has reached the point at which mixing of the then soft tallow or grease, the Water and the other solids may take place the motor starts to run and continues its operation for the length of time necessary to complete the mixing and soap forming operation. At that time the receptacle is full of liquid soap,'namely soap mixed with water, so as to have such liquidity as makes it available for the housewife to use. At that time the contents are automatically discharged into the lower receptacle which may well take the form of a mason jar screwed into the base of the machine. The housewife will remove the jar, replace it with another one and have available the necessary amount of liquid soap.

I claim:

1. Household soap making means including a boiler having a discharge port at the bottom and open at the top, adapted to receive pro-determined quantities of raw materials for the production of soap, a removable cover for the boiler, stirring means for agitating the contents in the boiler, a driving connection for the stirring means operative only when the cover is closed, manually operable means tcr closing the discharge port, means automatically operative only when the cover is closed for heating the contents of the boiler, means operative after a predetermined temperature has been reached by the contents of the boiler for automatically actuating the stirring means, and means operative automatically after a predetermined length of time for simultaneously causing cessation of heating and stirring and for opening the discharge port atthe same time.

'2. Household soap making means including a boiler adapted to contain a measured quantity of raw materials for the production of soap, a removable cover for the boiler, electric motor actuated means for stirring the contents of the boiler, a heating coil for the boiler, the boiler having a discharge port and valve means for opening and closing it, means for closing an electric circuit through the heating coil when the boiler cover is closed, means responsive to the temperature in the boiler for closing an electric circuit through the motor when the temperature of the contents of the boiler reaces a pre-determined point, and means for breaking said electric circuits and for opening the boiler discharge port when a predetermined time has elapsed after the closure of the motor circuit, all at the same time.

3. Means for making soap including a trio heating coil therefor, a discharge port in the boiler, a solenoid actuated valve adapted to open and close it, a removable cover for the boiler, a mixing paddle in the boiler, an elecboiler for stirring and agitating its contents, a motor on the cover for driving the mixing paddle, a driving connection between the motor and the paddle with a clutch effective only when the lid is closed, an electric timer, a thermostat switch, and electric circuits including the heating coil, the valve actuating solenoid, the motor and the thermostat, adapted successively to energize the heating coil upon closing of the lid, energize the motor and cause mixing of the material after a predetermined temperature has been reached in the boiler, to break the circuit after a predetermined mixing time whereby the heating coil, the motor and the solenoid controlling the valve will be simultaneously de-energized.

4. A household soap making means including a boiler having a discharge port, an electric heating coil, a solenoid actuated valve adapted when the solenoid is energized to close the port, a master electric circuit including the solenoid, manual means for closing the circuit, means operative when the lid is closed for supplying heating current to the coil from the master circuit, stirring means in the boiler, means operative when the temperature of the contents of the boiler reaches a predetermined point for closing a circuit to actuate the stirring means, and means operative after a predetermined time has elapsed subse-v quent to the start of stirring for breaking the master circuit.

5. The structure of claim 2 further characterized in that the electric motor actuated means includes a mixing paddle eccentrically mounted in the boiler, an electric motor mounted on the removable cover, and a driving connection with a clutch between them elfective when the cover is closed.

6. The structure of claim 4 further characterized in that the stirring means includes a mixing paddle eccentrically mounted in the boiler, an electric motor mounted on the removable cover, and a driving connection with a clutch between them effective when the cover is closed.

7. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the stirring means includes a mixing paddle eccentrically mounted in the boiler, an electric motor mounted on the removable cover, and a driving connection with a clutch between them effective when the cover is closed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 605,197 Colgate June 7, 1898 1,444,561 Schraeder Feb. 6, 1923 2,185,653 Thurman Jan. 2, 1940 2,279,121 Kistler Apr. 7, 1942 2,300,542 Forse Nov. 3, 1942 2,321,326 Soderquist June 8, 1943 2,403,925 Ittner July 16, 1946 2,645,461 Brown et al. July 14, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES Ind. and Eng. Chem., vol. 35, No. 9, pages 934-937, September 1943. 

2. HOUSEHOLD SOAP MAKING MEANS INCLUDING A BOILER ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A MEASURED QUANTITY OF RAW MATERIALS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF SOAP, A REMOVABLE COVER FOR THE BOILER, ELECTRIC MOTOR ACTUATED MEANS FOR STIRRING THE CONTENTS OF THE BOILER, A HEATING COIL FOR THE BOILER, THE BOILER HAVING A DISCHARGE PORT AND VALVE MEANS FOR OPENING AND CLOSING IT, MEANS FOR CLOSING AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT THROUGH THE HEATING COIL WHEN THE BOILER COVER IS CLOSED, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE TEMPERATURE IN THE BOILER FOR CLOSING AN ELECTRIC CIRCUIT THROUGH THE MOTOR WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OF THE CONTENTS OF THE BOILER REACES A PRE-DETERMINED POINT, AND MEANS FOR BREAKING SAID ELECTRIC CIRCUITS AND FOR OPENING THE BOILER DISCHARGE PORT WHEN A PREDETERMINED TIME HAS ELAPSED AFTER THE CLOSURE OF THE MOTOR CIRCUIT, ALL AT THE SAME TIME. 